Men’s Grooming – Top 5 Shaving Mistakes

Industry insiders predict that around 60% of men think they have sensitive skin, and while many men are hampered by hypersensitivity, the number isn’t anywhere near that in reality. The main reason for this misunderstanding is that bad shaving practices can often leave your skin feeling tight, sore and looking less than its best.

Because shaving is a fact of life for so many men (like being wrong in arguments with women, or innately being able to read maps), we assume that we all know how to shave correctly. But the truth is, there are several common mistakes made by men of all ages that contribute to all kinds of shaving dilemmas. Irradiate these mistakes from your performance, and you’re much more likely to achieve a smoother, more comfortable shave.

1. Inadequate preparation

As the old saying goes; “fail to prepare and you prepare to fail”, so before you jump straight in with your razor and tear up your face, you’ll need to do a bit of ground work. Firstly you need to wash your face with warm water in order to open your pores, gently exfoliate the skin, bring out ingrown hairs and raise your beard. I recommend the A’Kin pureMAN Dual Action Face Wash & Scrub as it cleans and exfoliates – taking care of two jobs for the price of one.

If your beard is particularly course, or your skin extra sensitive, it may also be a good idea to use a pre-shave oil such as the King of Shaves AlphaOil Shaving Oil as a base layer. This will further soften your stubble and act as a protective shield for your skin.

Fashionbeans tip: Steam is great for opening open pores and softening stubble, so where possible, shave straight after a shower (or even in the shower if you can).

2. Blunt blades

You may have seen the recent Gillette advert set featuring a ‘shave’ mechanic and some tired looking razor blades. Of course Gillette just want you to buy more of their overpriced blades (a rant for another day), but they are spot on with their theory – you need to regularly change your blades if you have any hope of shaving success.

Depending on the blades you buy, how often you use them, and your beard type you may need to change your blades as often as every 4 or 5 days, which can be very costly.

This is where the all-singing, all-dancing RazorPit Blade Sharpener comes in. Making things a whole lot more cost effective, this brand new shaving gizmo rinses, cleans and maintains your razor blades, so they will last for up to 150 shaves – a snip at under £20.

3. Forgetting to rinse

As you shave, a mixture of product, hair and dead skin builds up on your razor. If you don’t rinse your blade with warm water after every stroke, this build up not only makes your shave less effective, but can further irritate your skin along the way.

4. Shaving against the grain

Shaving against the direction of hair growth (or against the grain as it’s also known) will almost guarantee stressed skin and shaving irritation. Many men are tempted to shave against the grain thinking that this will help then achieve a closer, smoother shave, but unless you are very lucky it will lead to unnecessary skin scraping and a whole host of shaving woes. So if you don’t fancy reaching for the fire extinguisher to put out that shaving rash, always shave with the grain and not against it.

Fashionbeans tip: After a few days growth, run your fingers across your stubble and you should be able to feel the direction of your hair’s growth. Bear in mind that it may not grow in the same direction all over your face, normally growing in the other direction on your neck.

5. Neglecting a post shave routine

In this writers humble opinion, not having a post shave moisturising routine is not only one of the worst shaving crimes, but one of the worst grooming mistakes a man can make. As you’ll have realised by now, shaving puts your skin under a lot of stress, often drying and irritation along the way. A post shave routine is designed to put that moisture back in, extinguish razor burn, sooth and rejuvenate your skin and prevent ingrown hairs.

A product like the Liz Earle For Men After Shaving Moisturiser covers all bases in one targeted product. A calming daily moisturiser that’s light and easily absorbed, it soothes small nicks and razor burn while protecting, moisturising and conditioning for super smooth skin.

If you do tend to suffer from a little shaving rash, then the Clinique For Men Post Shave Soother does a great job of comforting just-shaved skin. A unique after-shave treatment, it actually helps make your beard hair softer and finer over time. so shaving becomes easier.

Fashionbeans tip: Something as simple as splashing your face with cold water after shaving will also help, closing your pores and cooling the skin.

Conclusion

When it comes to shaving, as with the rest of your grooming regime, there is always a way to solve your problems or dilemmas. So take these common mistakes on board and remember that whether it’s a change in a technique or the selection of the correct product, you needn’t suffer in silence.

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There Are 19 Comments

Emmett Posted On 2nd March 2010:

I can vouch for the razor pit, I think iv changed my razor maby twice since christmas.

Mark L. Gill Posted On 2nd March 2010:

Great article. Another tip and not for the faint of heart is to shave whilst in the shower. The combination of steam ans constant warm water really opens everything up, making the razor glide over the skin.

I think another point that could be made is at what time of day you shave. At certain times the skins natural oils make the skin greasy, which is a beneficial side effect when shaving.

Keith Posted On 2nd March 2010:

iv stopped using all the modern “improved” rubbish, a shaving soap, brush and a razor wit 1 blade, best shave ever!

Rbnl Posted On 2nd March 2010:

Nice article. I for one always shave “against the grain” after having shaved with the grain. If I don’t, it really isn’t a smooth shave for me… Sure I have some shaving woes from time to time.. But I rather deal with them than needing to shave every other day.

Duncan Copeland - Grooming Editor Posted On 2nd March 2010:

Very true Mark, if you can shave in the shower it makes things so much easier, but it’s a little tricky until you get the hang of it!

You’re also spot on about shaving as soon as you wake up. An accumulation of fluid overnight means your skin tends to be puffy first thing, so it’s best to have a coffee to wake yourself and your skin up before you dive in with the razor!

Duncan Copeland - Grooming Editor Posted On 2nd March 2010:

I’m very traditional with my shave too Keith, which brush do you use?

Katatonik Posted On 2nd March 2010:

How strange I was just complaining yesterday how Gilette shaving gel brings me out in a rash sometimes, it can be fine for a month then I get a slight rash on my neck and the odd pimp on my chin. I find it leaves my face feeling a little dry and itchy also. I just bought some King of Shaves Alpha Oil and Gel today after reading this, face feels like a babies bum, smooth and rash free.

I really need a post-shave cream/balm, any cheaper recommendations other than the Clinque & Liz Earle? I can’t really justify spending 16 quid on this gear.

Duncan Copeland - Grooming Editor Posted On 2nd March 2010:

The King of Shaves products are great aren’t they! If you’re looking for a cheaper option I’ve always had great success with the Nivea For Men Sensitive Aftershave Balm.

It has always given me great results but without the price tag of the Clinique product.

Gigio Posted On 3rd March 2010:

great article, however it’s over an year i don’t use a razor. i only shave with electric shaver because that is the only way i won’t get my skin irritated. so whenever i want a really close shave after using the electric shaver to trim my beard if it’s somewhat long, i use a 3 blades razor only for the finish, with clarins shaving gel [excellent] and then clinique aftershave. oh, i always try not to wash my face before shaving so that my skin oil will help me get extra protection.

Keith Posted On 3rd March 2010:

duncan – to be honest mines a cheap one from a high st store socost me bout £3.50. im lookin to get a more expensive one at some point. I do need to improve my post shave rountine tho.

Divv Posted On 3rd March 2010:

urm.. do you have any tips in using an electronic shaver?

Stuart Posted On 5th March 2010:

I always have to shave against the grain to get a close shave, I do shave with first to try and minimise the irritation but no matter how many times I repeat with the grain I cant get it close (& my razor has 5 blades!!). What am I doing wrong? I am so fed-up of rashes, spots and cuts from shaving against the grain.

Duncan Copeland - Grooming Editor Posted On 5th March 2010:

Keith – If you’re looking to upgrade your shave brush I can highly recommend the men-u shave brushes, as well as the brand itself.

men-u offer three different types of shaving brush – the cheapest starting at around £9, ranging right up to £45 for the most expensive. In my experience the cheapest one is more than ok, but obviously the more expensive you go the quality will improve.

When paired with their highly effective Shave Creme, the men-u brush generates a really rich lather and uses minimal product too which makes the luxury experience much more cost effective.

Secondly, it’s vitally important to regularly clean your electric razor. Aside from the basic hygiene reasons, it keeps your equipment in good condition and gives a more effective shave.

One thing to bear in mind if you don’t wet shave, is that your skin doesn’t benefit from one of shavings hidden advantages – skin exfoliation. As you wet shave, dead skin cells are gently removed, which is part of the reason your skin feels so soft after shaving.

I hope you find this info useful, I may compile an electric shaving guide over the coming weeks so keep an eye out.

Duncan Copeland - Grooming Editor Posted On 5th March 2010:

It’s a common predicament Stuart, you’re torn between a super close shave and risking shaving irritation. My advice would be to avoid shaving against the grain and explore other ways of achieving a closer shave. Here are a few things you could try;

1. If you shave using high street products, it might make a difference if you upgrade to one of the many high-end men’s brands. Obviously everyone has their own price range but from my experience you pretty much get what you pay for. There are too many out there for me to suggest just one, but check out the grooming products section as a good starting point.http://www.fashionbeans.com/tag/shaving/

2. Many men consider the shave brush to be an outdated and old fashioned shaving tool, but it’s one of the best ways of achieving a close shave as it raises the beard hair. Check out my reply to Keith above for shave brush recommendations.

3. In a similar way to a shaving brush, your pre-shave routine plays a vital role in your close shave success. As the article says, make sure you always wash your face with a good quality face wash and warm water, and try to shave straight after a shower.

If you’re struggling for a really close shave, try a pre-shave oil under your shave cream. This may seem unnecessary but it could provide the extra razor glide you need. There’s a product suggestion in point 1 of the article.

Thanks for help Duncan, I’ve got a good routine now since reading this.. I did buy the King Of Shaves oil, but to be honest their Shaving Gel on its own is adequate, the oil on its own didn’t feel right and using it under the gel felt like overkill.

I’m now using King of Shaves ‘Alphagel’ shaving gel for sensitive skin and just using that Nivea post shave balm you suggested. I’m now rash free and with this KOF gel you can see exactly where your shaving and it feels like you could endlessly stroke your face with the razor and it wouldn’t get sore.

One last question, that Nivea stuff works ok I guess but I might just grab a higher end post shave balm, is there one you could recommend. I would like one that makes you feel refreshed and clean, is Clinque the best?

Duncan Copeland - Grooming Editor Posted On 9th March 2010:

It’s great to know that the advice we offer does make a difference, so thanks for your feedback.

I’ll agree, the Oil and a Alphagel is probably over-kill, as the Alphagel provides high levels of ‘lubrication’ on it’s own. Where you’d really see the benefits of applying a pre-shave oil is if you were using a shaving cream, rather than a gel.

If you’re looking to go a bit more ‘upmarket’ the Clinque product is an excellent choice but that acts as more of a treatment and may require a some moisturiser to be used afterwards. For a ‘do it all’ product that provides post shave soothing and lasting moisture I’d recommend either the ‘men-u Facial Moisture Lift’ (one of my favourites) or the ‘Lab Series Triple Benefit Post Shave Remedy’. The Lab Series one is a little more expensive, but it does get some great reviews.

Let me know how you get on, and if you’ve got any more questions let me know.

Katatonik Posted On 16th March 2010:

Cheers Duncan, I grabbed the Men-U post-shave balm, much better than the Nivea stuff. It feels clean and refreshing, unlike the Nivea which felt a little icky. I think I’ve finally got a decent shave routine now thanks to you!

I grabbed some Gilette Fusion ‘Gamer’ razors which are currently half price at Superdrug and some King Of Shaves ‘Alphagel’ which was also on offer at Boots, and I grabbed the Men-U post-shave balm from Feelunique.com which was 3-4 pound cheaper than anywhere else.

That razorpit looks great. I switched to King of Shaves after getting annoyed at Gillette pricing, does the razorpit work with King of Shaves blades? It doesn’t say on the site you linked to.

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